[comp.windows.x] Need help debugging CAN'T OPEN DISPLAY msg

ric@ace.sri.com (Richard Steinberger) (01/15/91)

I have been using a few Tektronix XP27 X terminals lately.  It is
not uncommon to see a message like, "Cannot open display", even though
I am certain the DISPLAY variable and other syntax and parameters 
are properly set.  For example, the command line:

	rsh myhost xeyes -display myxterm:0.0

will sometimes produce the previously-mentioned message.  At other times,
it will work properly.

While I suspect that this situation results from one or more errors in
the Tektronix server code, I'd like some way to figure out what's really
going on.  Can anyone suggest a strategy to help track this down.  Are
there any contributed X clients that might be run, perhaps from another
terminal or workstation, that can monitor and interpret network messages?
If not, could a network analyzer be useful?  Thanks to all who reply.

regards,

	ric steinberger
	ric@ace.sri.com

garyc@hobbes.wv.tek.com (Gary Combs) (01/16/91)

In article <19965@unix.SRI.COM>, ric@ace.sri.com (Richard Steinberger) writes:
|> From: ric@ace.sri.com (Richard Steinberger)
|> Subject: Need help debugging CAN'T OPEN DISPLAY msg
|> Date: 14 Jan 91 22:12:15 GMT
|> Reply-To: ric@ace.sri.com (Richard Steinberger)
|> Organization: SRI International
|> 
|> I have been using a few Tektronix XP27 X terminals lately.  It is
|> not uncommon to see a message like, "Cannot open display", even though
|> I am certain the DISPLAY variable and other syntax and parameters 
|> are properly set.  For example, the command line:
|> 
|> 	rsh myhost xeyes -display myxterm:0.0
|> 
|> will sometimes produce the previously-mentioned message.  At other times,
|> it will work properly.
|> 
|> While I suspect that this situation results from one or more errors in
|> the Tektronix server code, I'd like some way to figure out what's really
|> going on.  Can anyone suggest a strategy to help track this down.  Are
|> there any contributed X clients that might be run, perhaps from another
|> terminal or workstation, that can monitor and interpret network messages?
|> If not, could a network analyzer be useful?  Thanks to all who reply.
|> 
|> regards,
|> 
|> 	ric steinberger
|> 	ric@ace.sri.com

Do you also get these lines in the error message:

Xlib:  connection to "riemann:0.0" refused by server
Xlib:  Client is not authorized to connect to Server

This indicates that access control has been enabled but your host
has not been entered in the access list.

If the only message you get is "Can't Open display" and you are setting
your DISPLAY variable by host name("riemann"), not host address("6.0.0.1"),
I would double check your /etc/hosts file for the correct address. 

If the problem still exists, contact your local Tektronix rep. or
you email me directly.


Good Luck !!
Gary


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary Combs
Tektronix, Inc
NWD Technical Marketing Support
(503)685-2072
uunet!tektronix!shamu.WV.TEK!garyc
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

gtan@Encore.COM (Greer H. Tan) (01/24/91)

In article <19965@unix.SRI.COM> ric@ace.sri.com writes:
>I have been using a few Tektronix XP27 X terminals lately.  It is
>not uncommon to see a message like, "Cannot open display", even though
>I am certain the DISPLAY variable and other syntax and parameters 
>are properly set.  For example, the command line:
>
>	rsh myhost xeyes -display myxterm:0.0
>
>will sometimes produce the previously-mentioned message.  At other times,
>it will work properly.

Have you tried "pinging" your server?  Or maybe doing an xhost to see
if someone has changed accessibility?  Just a few suggestions.

>While I suspect that this situation results from one or more errors in
>the Tektronix server code, I'd like some way to figure out what's really
>going on.  Can anyone suggest a strategy to help track this down.  Are
>there any contributed X clients that might be run, perhaps from another
>terminal or workstation, that can monitor and interpret network messages?
>If not, could a network analyzer be useful?  Thanks to all who reply.

There is a contrib application called xscope that does what you're
asking for ... you can use it to monitor server-client communication.
There is a README there that explains how to use it and everything.
You can pull it off of expo.lcs.mit.edu.

Fairly useful.

Greer H. Tan
Encore Computer Corporation
gtan@encore.com